Category Archives: Competitions

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, Pan American Games, USEF

Hannah Burnett & Harbour Pilot Cruise to Lead at USEF Pan American Games Mandatory Outing

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Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot (Photo: Stockimageservices .com)

Richland, Michigan – When Hannah Sue Burnett rode Harbour Pilot into the dressage ring as the first of the 14 riders contesting the USEF Pan American Games Mandatory Outing for the 2011 Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team she set a mark that couldn’t be beat. The Mandatory Outing is being held as part of the Richland Park Horse Trials and CIC3*.

Riding Jacqueline Mars’ 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, Burnett put in what is now becoming trademark for the 25 year old ride: a very polished effort. Burnett and Harbour Pilot scored 44.6 to leave them two points clear of Kristin Schmolze and Ballylaffin Bracken, whom she owns with her parents Bill and Janet. Shannon Lilly lies 1/10th of a point behind Schmolze on The Lilley Group’s Ballygowan Pizzaz.

“It was one of his best tests,” said Burnett. “It could have had a little more flash – if I had to be picky. But his trot work was good and I think his canter work was great. The turn on the haunches was good, which I was pleased about because I struggle with that.”

Burnett was sixth at the 2011 Rolex Kentucky CCI4* presented by Bridgestone and was then second with Harbour Pilot in the CCI2* at Bromont in June. ‘William’ has been extremely competitive as he has risen through the levels; Burnett has ridden him since April of 2010.

Continue reading Hannah Burnett & Harbour Pilot Cruise to Lead at USEF Pan American Games Mandatory Outing →

Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Driving, Events, FEI, USEF

Dancer, Wrigley-Miller, and Yoder in Fifth Place at Their First FEI World Pair Driving Championship

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Joe Yoder at the 2011 FEI World Driving Pair Championship. Photo: Marie de Ronde

Yoder Drives to Sixth in Dressage

Lexington, KY – At the 2011 FEI World Pair Driving Championship in Conty, France, American Joe Yoder drove to sixth place Friday in the dressage and the American team – all three drivers making their International Championship debut – sits in fifth place heading into Saturday’s marathon.

Led by Chef d’Equipe Chester Weber and Coach Michael Freund, the U.S. is being represented by Yoder, the 2011 USEF National Pair Driving Champion, and Katherin Dancer and Misdee Wrigley-Miller. The trio drove at Reisenbeck CAI in July and earned valuable international experience as they represent their country this week.

Thursday morning marked the beginning of the dressage competition phase and it was Wrigley-Miller drawn as the first and only U.S. competitor on opening day. Wrigley-Miller is in the top half of the pack of 69 drivers, in 20th place on a score of 52.86.

The pressure then passed to Dancer and Yoder on Friday. Dancer is in 34th individually with a score of 58.88. Yoder’s impressive sixth-place mark of 44.03 means the team sits in fifth with 96.9 penalties. Germany leads with 84.1 over Switzerland, The Netherlands, and France. The top two scores from each phase count for the Team Classification.

Individually, German Driver Carola Deiner leads with a score of 35.58.

Continue reading Dancer, Wrigley-Miller, and Yoder in Fifth Place at Their First FEI World Pair Driving Championship →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, FEI

Record-breaking Germans Lead the Field at HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships

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Germany’s Ingrid Klimke and FRH Butts Abraxxas lead the individual standings at the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships and Germany is on top in the teams after the Dressage. Photo: Peter Nixon/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 26 August 2011 – Outstanding performances by Germany’s Ingrid Klimke and Michael Jung have put the home side into a fabulously strong position before tomorrow’s Cross Country phase at the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships at Luhmühlen (GER).

The host nation, bidding for a first European team gold since 1973, is now more than 20 penalties ahead of defending champions Great Britain as the first team to score under 100 in the Dressage at European level. The Italians, who won silver in 2009, hold a fractional advantage in third over Sweden, who last won gold back in 1993.

Klimke is no stranger to brilliance in the Dressage arena, but even she was overwhelmed by FRH Butts Abraxxas’s mark of 30.0, which included six 10s: three for the entry and halt; two for her final halt and one, from Ground Jury member Christoph Hess, for her riding.

“Hans Melzer [German team trainer] told me I should do a 29, so he put me under pressure,” Klimke revealed.

The ever-smiling Klimke also admitted to despondency after her fall at Badminton (GBR) in April, in which she suffered a knee injury which kept her out of the saddle for 12 weeks.

“I was very depressed about it all because I just love to ride,” she said. “But then Abraxxas was in good shape at Aachen and Malmö and now I’m just thankful to be here.

Continue reading Record-breaking Germans Lead the Field at HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships →

Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Jennifer Wood, Show Jumping

Amanda Steege and Bavarian Rule in the $10,000 Fieldstone 2’9″ Hunter Derby Final at Fieldstone Summer Showcase

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Amanda Steege and Bavarian won the $10,000 Fieldstone 2'9” Hunter Derby Final. Photo © Anne Gittins Photography

Halifax, MA – August 25, 2011 – The Fieldstone Summer Showcase hosted two hunter derbies today on the beautiful grass Grand Prix Field. Amanda Steege of Bedminster, NJ, rode Bavarian, owned by Lise Revers of Weston, MA, to victory in the $10,000 Fieldstone 2’9” Hunter Derby Final. In the $10,000 Pony Hunter Derby Final, Jordyn Freeman of Long Meadow, MA, took the top two places on Blueberry Hill and Head’s Up. The Fieldstone Summer Showcase features top hunter/jumper competition at their beautiful facility in Halifax, MA.

Today marked the third day of competition for the Fieldstone Summer Showcase, which will now run through Saturday, August 27. The MHJ Finals will run at the same times and in the same rings but now on Saturday instead of Sunday. The $25,000 Herb Chambers Companies Grand Prix start time has been moved to noon on Saturday, August 27 (from 3 p.m.). The $7,500 Herb Chambers Companies Speed Stake has been moved to Friday, August 26, at approximately 11 a.m. (from Saturday).

Professional rider Amanda Steege had a brand-new ride on Bavarian, who was only purchased three weeks ago by Revers. Revers trains with Lindsey Moore, who had Steege compete today on the 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding. “My dad has been helping Lindsey Moore. I got lucky!” Steege said with a smile.

The new pairing practiced yesterday and entered the ring together for the first time in the derby. They had a solid score of 84 in the first round, and with a handy hunter score of 86, they moved into the lead with a total of 170. Second place in the class went to Socrates, ridden by Kristen Bumpus and owned by Jackie Arakelian of Winchester, MA.

Continue reading Amanda Steege and Bavarian Rule in the $10,000 Fieldstone 2’9″ Hunter Derby Final at Fieldstone Summer Showcase →

Competitions, Events, FEI, FEI, Show Jumping, USEF

Ready for Rotterdam: U.S. Jumpers Face Big Task in FEI Nations Cup

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Lexington, KY – The U.S. Jumping riders have a big task before them in tomorrow’s FEI Nations Cup at CSIO5* Rotterdam. They take to the final leg of the 2011 FEI Nations Cup Series in the Netherlands and jump to maintain their position in the Series for 2012.

Currently ranked seventh out of the eight teams in the Series, the U.S. needs to finish at least three places ahead of Belgium tomorrow in the Nations Cup to earn a spot to return in 2012. Belgium is currently two points ahead of the United States. The two lowest-placed teams will be relegated after Rotterdam, and Denmark is already out of consideration.

The four riders set to represent the U.S. are up for the challenge for Chef d’Equipe George Morris:

Lauren Hough and Quick Study just won the Longines Grand Prix at CSIO5* Dublin in an epic victory over a top-flight field. She will lead off the U.S. effort.

Christine McCrea and the ultra-consistent Romantovich Take One will follow Hough into the ring; they have been quietly racking up solid results all summer. They jumped two clear rounds in the Nations Cup at CSIO5* St. Gallen and went on to finish third in the Longines Grand Prix of Switzerland two days later.

Continue reading Ready for Rotterdam: U.S. Jumpers Face Big Task in FEI Nations Cup →

Competitions, Events, FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

FEI Nations Cup 2011 Round 8

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FRENCH GET THE BEST OF THE DRAW, AT LAST by Louise Parkes

The draw for the eighth and final leg of the FEI Nations Cup 2011 series took place in Rotterdam (NED) today.

Rotterdam (NED), 25 August 2011 – The luck of the draw went in favour of France for the first time this season today, so the defending double-champions will be last into the arena for tomorrow’s final leg of the FEI Nations Cup 2011 in Rotterdam (NED). French form has been unexpectedly weak throughout the series, and they are one of three nations that could possibly face the prospect of joining Denmark, already assured of relegation, in the Promotional League in 2012.

The order-of-go for the eighth leg of the series is as follows: 1, Germany; 2, The Netherlands; 3, Denmark; 4, Great Britain; 5, USA; 6, Ireland; 7, Belgium; 8, France.  And there is plenty of tension in the air ahead of the final clash.

The rules dictate that, after the last of the eight legs in the premier tournament, the two lowest-placed nations are demoted to the second-tier Promotional League.  And the countries in most danger of joining the Danes are the Americans and Belgians. But after the previous round in Dublin (IRL) three weeks ago, the French are lying fifth on the leaderboard and just four points ahead of Belgium.  Should they experience yet another bad day, the country that has dominated the sport of Nations Cup Jumping for the last two seasons could be in a very vulnerable position.

Continue reading FEI Nations Cup 2011 Round 8 →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, FEI

Germany Sets Pace at HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships

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Sandra Auffarth (GER) and Opgun Louvo hold the individual lead and have put the German team out in front after the first day of Dressage.

Lausanne (SUI), 25 August 2011 – German riders gave an exhibition of Dressage-riding to fill six of the top eight individual places and take a commanding lead in the team competition at the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships in Luhmühlen, to the evident delight of their home crowd.

Sandra Auffarth (GER), 25, who sprang to prominence when finishing second in the HSBC FEI Classics at Luhmühlen CCI4* in June, was the big sensation on a hot sunny afternoon today, producing another exquisite picture of harmony and suppleness with the nine-year-old Opgun Louvo.

She earned a perfect 10 for her entry and halt from Ground Jury member Anne Mette-Binder (DEN) and finally wound up with the excellent score of 35.4 penalties.

“It’s the best mark I’ve had at this level,” said a delighted Auffarth, who has been riding the chestnut gelding by Shogun ll since he was six.

“At one point in the walk, I thought ‘oh no, don’t be nervous’, but he concentrated very well and was relaxed so I could ride him like I do in training. He has a very good character – he is like a pony at home.”

Auffarth added: “It was quite a surprise to be picked for the team, but perhaps in another way it wasn’t so unexpected, because we’ve had a good season as a combination.”

Continue reading Germany Sets Pace at HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Aiken Fall Festival Just Around the Corner

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August, 25th 2011 – The closing date for the 2011 Aiken Fall Festival Horse Show is just under a week away, but crew and staff at Equus Events have been busily preparing for the event all summer long. The show, a USEF “A” rated event will take place September 8-11 and 15-18 at Highfields Event Center in horse-centric Aiken, SC.  The show has become a “staple” on the fall social and event calendar according to the Aiken Standard and it’s easy to see why.  Aiken’s famous horse community, its eclectic shops and restaurants, and events such as the 2011 Aiken’s Makin’ Festival (September 9th-10th) makes this town a prime stop on the horse show calendar. Horses and riders will be competing for awards and prizes in upwards to $100,000 throughout the two week show series and vying to have their name engraved on many perpetual trophies. Some of last year’s Grand Champion and Perpetual Trophy winner’s included:

*At A Glance Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Grand Champion Hunter – Cezanne owned by Lilly Haun and ridden by Vick Russell
*Joyce Lineburger Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Grand Junior Hunter – Babette and Noel Fauntleroy
*Good Golly Miss Molly Perpetual Trophy for Grand Pony Hunter – Caroline Hargreaves and That’s It
*Grand Amateur Owner Hunter – Onassis and Sarah Ward
*Grand Adult Hunter – Westside and Cindy Prestage
*Grand Children’s Hunter – Ransom and Lily Foy
*Grand Children’s/Adult Jumper – Oh My Lord and Terrell McKey
*Grand Junior/AO Jumper – Fargo and Mary Huitt

Continue reading Aiken Fall Festival Just Around the Corner →

Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, Pan American Games, USEF

Mandatory Outing for the 2011 Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team Set to Begin

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Lexington, KY – The journey to the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico makes its next eventing stop in Richland, Michigan. Fourteen of the 15 horses currently short-listed by the USEF head to the Midwest to contest their Mandatory Outing at the Richland Park CIC and Horse Trials August 25-28.

The Pan American Games will be contested at the CCI2* level in 2011, which gives many riders who have never before represented the United States the chance to ride on the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the first time. They will contest a modified division made up of the CCI2* dressage test, the Advanced cross country course and an Advanced height show jumping track.

Allie Slusher withdrew her horse Pierre on August 23, which moved Jennifer Taxay Kelly onto the Short list as the first ranked substitute. The second ranked substitute, Matt Flynn, also withdrew Breakthrough from consideration. This leaves 15 horses on the short list, all of which will contest the Mandatory Outing except for Cold Harbor. Boyd Martin and Cold Harbor were excused from the event as Martin prepares Neville Bardos for the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials in England next week. Michael Pollard will ride his wife Nathalie’s Schoensgreen Hanni at Richland Park before he joins Martin in England to ride Icarus at Burghley.

Continue reading Mandatory Outing for the 2011 Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team Set to Begin →

Breeds, Competitions, Dressage, Events

Dressage at Devon Close Dates Extended and Extended Schooling Schedules

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August 24, 2011 (Devon, PA) – The closing dates for both performance and breed classes at the 2011 Dressage at Devon have been extended until September 15 and late fees have been waived.

So enter now and enjoy the new, state of the art footing (Poels Sand Footing), in both the Dixon Oval and the Gold Ring.  Come check out this significant improvement to Dressage at Devon and show off your wonderful horse under the lights.  Schooling has also been extended in both rings in the early morning.  Warm-up for all Grand Prix classes will be held in the Gold ring commencing one hour prior to the start of the class.  For performance entry details, go to www.dressageatdevon.org or contact the Show Secretary, Monica Fitzgerald, at mon1206@aol.com.

Or, for breeders, has your two year old suddenly grow into their body?  Is your colt amazing?  Come showcase your incredible horses at Dressage at Devon and let your foal enjoy the attention and the new footing!  You can enter on-line at www.horseshowoffice.com.  Full details, including the prize list, are at www.dressageatdevon.org or contact the Show Secretary, Kathy Moffitt, at kmoffitt@optonline.net.

Danielle Myers
Project Marketing, Inc.
PO Box 155
Devon, PA 19333
610.889.2036
dmyers@projectmarketinginc.com